Cheetah Medical Inc. Announces FDA Clearance and US Release of NIBP Parameter for its NICOM(R) Hemodynamic Monitoring System

TEL-AVIV, Israel & MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cheetah Medical, a leading provider of fully noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring solutions for the comprehensive care of patients in challenging clinical care settings, has been granted 510(k) marketing clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the NIBP functionality, provided by SunTech Medical, in its NICOM® Reliant® Hemodynamic Monitoring System. The NIBP Option for the NICOM System platform and other feature enhancements add new parameters to provide a comprehensive suite of information for functional cardiac and systemic vascular monitoring – all without the need for invasive cardiovascular monitoring methods that are associated with increased potential costs and patient risks. The new parameters include Noninvasive Blood Pressure (NIBP), Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR), Stroke Volume Variation (SVV), Cardiac Power (CP), and Change in Thoracic Fluid Content (TFCd). The NIBP Option for NICOM Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems sold in the U.S. is the product of an ongoing global OEM agreement between Cheetah Medical and SunTech Medical, the market leader in OEM NIBP clinical grade monitoring technology.

“Noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring using the NICOM System is quickly gaining interest as a new standard of monitored care, particularly in hospitals, where the average patient is older, sicker and where accurate clinical decision-making often hinges on knowing the patient’s real-time hemodynamic status,” states Yoav Avidor, MD, CEO of Cheetah Medical. “U.S. market availability of the NICOM® System with integrated Suntech Medical NIBP capabilities furthers our commitment to offer clinicians a complete, continuous noninvasive profile of the patient’s hemodynamic status, while reducing the costs and risks formerly associated with obtaining it,” added Dr. Avidor.

“SunTech Medical is pleased to partner with Cheetah Medical to provide NIBP technology for the NICOM System,” adds Dayn McBee, CEO of SunTech Medical, “Delivering timely and accurate NIBP data is critical to effectively and safely guide patient treatment. We’re proud to be able to deliver that for Cheetah Medical and its customers.”

Cheetah Medical has begun shipment of NICOM Systems equipped with the NIBP Option to its U.S. customers. Live demonstrations of the NICOM System with NIBP capabilities will be available at the 38th Critical Care Congress of the Society of Critical Care Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, January 31st – February 3rd, 2009, at Cheetah Medical Exhibit #642.